K. S. Narasimhaswamy

Indian poet (1915–2003)

Kikkeri Subbarao Narasimhaswamy (26 January 1915 – 27 December 2003) was an Indian poet who wrote in Kannada language. His most popular collection of poems, Mysooru Mallige, has seen more than thirty-two reprints and is sometimes given to newly married couples in Karnataka.^[1][2] Narasimhaswamy is a recipient of the Sahitya Akademi Award, Kannada sahitya Academy Award,^[3] and the Asian Prize for literature.^[4]

Early life

Narasimhaswamy was born in Kikkeri in Mandya district. He abandoned studies after his father, who wanted him to become an engineer, died, and took up a job of a clerk in a municipal office in Mysore.^[4] However, in 1934, he joined the Central College in Bangalore, where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree.^[1] He was transferred to Bangalore in 1954 and retired as a superintendent in the Karnataka Housing Board in the 1970s.^[4] He married Venkamma in Tiptur in 1936. He often portrayed his wife as the inspiration for his poems which mainly deal with romance in married life.^[1]

Works

Narasimhaswamy's romantic love poems, inspired by Robert Burns (whose work he translated to Kannada as Robert Burnsna Premageetegalu) were unique to the language at the time when most Kannada poetry dealt with nature and the natural world.^[3]

A poem hand-written by Narasimhaswamy

Narasimhaswamy (left) with wife Venkamma

P.Sheshadri (left), Narasimhaswamy (center) and T. N. Seetharam (right), during the making of Mayamruga

Publications

Poetry collections

• Mysooru Mallige (1942)
• Ungura (1942)
• Airaavatha (1945)
• Deepada Malli (1947)
• Iruvanthige (1952)
• Shilaalathe (1958)
• Maneyinda Manege (1960)
• Tereda Baagilu (1976)
• Navapallava (1983)
• Malligeya Maale (1986,2004)
• Dundu Mallige (1993)
• Navila Dani (1999)
• Sanje Haadu (2000)
• Kaimarada Nelalalli (2001)
• Ede Thumba Nakshtra (2002)
• Mounadali Maatha Hudukutha (2003)
• Deepa Saalina Naduve (2003)
• Haadu-Hase (A Collection of songs) (2003)
• Ikkala
• Dandu Mallige

Translations

• Media (1966)
• Robert Burns Kaviya kelavu Premageetegalu (1997)
• Kelavu Chinee Kavanagalu (1997)

Prose

• Maariya Kallu (1942)
• Upavana (1958)
• Damayanthi (1960)
• Sirimallige (1990)

See also

• Kannada poetry

References

1. "Narasimhaswamy passes away". The Times of India. 29 December 2003. Archived from the original on 17 October 2012. Retrieved 15 July 2007.
2. "'Mysore Mallige' K.S.Narasimhaswamy is dead". Online webpage of Mysore Samachar. Mysore Samachar. Archived from the original on 12 May 2018. Retrieved 15 July 2007.
3. "A poet who was inspired by satire and folklore". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 29 December 2003. Archived from the original on 1 July 2004. Retrieved 15 July 2007.
4. "A people's poet as well as a romantic..." Deccan Herald. 29 December 2003. Archived from the original on 16 February 2007. Retrieved 8 October 2020.